Weighing-scale.



PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

J. E. COCHRAN.

WBIGHING SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No MODEL.

A .MWI mi PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

J. E. COCHRAN.

WEIGHING SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

Cod? fan PATENTBD DEC. 13, 1904.

J. E. COCHRAN. WEIGHING SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. COCHRAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,602, dated Decernbei` 13, 1904.

Application filed June 27, 1904. Serial No. 214,418. iNo modelh To all whom/'if muy concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. COCHRAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Veighing-Scales, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to weighing-scales; and the chief object of the invention is to provide means for increasing the ease and accuracy with which the scale may be read.

It is also an object to provide certain improved details of construction which will be more fully set out in the following description and claims.

I attain my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichd Figure l is a general side view of a scale embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end View thereof looking toward the dial extremity thereof. Fig. 3 is a side view, chiefly in longitudinal vertical section, showing the dialframe and manner of mounting the scalebeam. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken transversely through the center of thc dialframe. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing a modificdform of rack for operating the controlling gearwheel and shaft. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of dial-frame wherein the two dials are both arranged at an oblique angle with reference to the.vertical. Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views showing alternate forms of connection between the main controllingshaft and the inclined controlling-shaft.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several Views.

rIhe main framework c of the scale is provided with a post c', whereon the scale-beam Z1 is fulcrumed, preferably by means of knifeedges, in the well-known manner. A tarebeam L and tare-weight b2 may be provided for convenience in obtaining the net weight of substances which are contained in jars or other vessels. A pan or platform c is mounted at or near one extremity of said scale-beam and is held in proper position upon said beam by means of the depending' rod d, which is pivotally attached at its lower extremity to `approximately forty-five degrees.

the controlling-rod c2. A threaded adjusting-rod o3 is pivotally attached to the outward extremity of controlling-rod c2 and is secured to the clip or lug a, fastened to the framework af. Said rod c3 is held at the proper elevation in lug a2 by means of nuts screwing onto said rod above and below said lug, and the final adjustment of platform c is made by raising or lowering the adjusted position of rod (f in said lug. The spring Zis adjustably attached to the cross-beam af; in frame a and is also attached to scale-beam b near thc extremity opposite to the platform c.

The construction of the scale parts thus far described is similar to the construction of the corresponding parts of scales now in common use.

A rack c is secured to the scale-beam, preferabl y at or near the extremity thereof, and in the form shown in Fig. 3 is curved and concentric with the scale-beam fulcrum and rigidly attached to the scale-beam in such position that when said beam oscillates about its fulcrum said rack will remain in mesh with the gear-wheel f, mounted upon the controlling-shaftj. Said shaft j has bearings in the stationary parts y/ g2 of the dial-frame g. In the preferred form of dial-frame, as shown in Figs. I to 4, inclusive, said dial-frame has a vertical dial .f/3 and a dial (f1, arranged at an angle oblique to the vertical. In the present instance the angle of inclination of dial -f/l is Dials .//3 and g" may be secured to the dial-casing in any suitable manner, in the present instance the dial g3 being' secured to the stationary piece (12 and dial f/1 being secured to the stand g5, rigidly fixed in said casing g. The parts are so arranged that the center of shaft f coincides with the center of dial 03. A pointer /1/ is rigidly secured to the shaft f in front of dial g3, and the construction is such that when the rack (5" moves up and down with the movement of the scale-beam b the gear-wheel j' and shaft f will be rotated by said rack and the pointer /t will rotate in front of dial g3 in the usual manner. Similarly, the pointer /z/ is rigidly secured to the shaft c' in front of the dial gf; but in order that the pointer may rotate in a plane parallel to said dial shaft t' is mount- IOO ed so as to lie perpendicular thereto at the center thereof, and consequently said shaft lies oblique to the vertical. Shaft z' in the present instance has a bearing in the stand g5 and in the lug g, attached thereto, and is connected to shaft f' by means of a universal connection. In the form shown in Fig. 3 the universal connection consists of a I-Iookes joint or gimbal j, and consequently when shaft f is rotated shaft t' will be simultaneously rotated an equal amount. In the operation of the scale in the form-shown in Figs. l to t, inclusive, when the object to be weighed is placed upon the platform c the beam I) will be oscillated, so that the rack e will be raised, thereby rotating shafts f and e', and consequently rotating the pointers /L and It in front of their respective dials.

The object in having the dial g* at an oblique angle is-to assist the operator in reading` the amount indicated by the pointer. It is common-for example, in retail stores-to employ scales having two dials, one of which may be read by the customer and the other by the tradesman, who is on the opposite side of the scale from the customer; but when the dials stand in a vertical position it is difficult to read the pointer with accuracy, for the reason that the eye of the observer is much higher than the dial, and unless the reader should stoop down, which would be inconvenient and impracticable, there is apt to be an error in reading, due to the Obliquity with which the pointer is viewed. This difficulty and danger of inaccuracy is eliminated by arranging the dial at an angle, and the angle should be such that when the operator stands in normal position the surface of the dial will be substantially at right angles to his line of vision. The pointer may then be read with perfect accuracy at all points on the dial. It will be observed that the markings on the dial may indicate weight only or may be so arranged as to indicate computed amounts, the advantage due to the obliquity of the dial being the same in either instance. In Figs. l to 4, inclusive, only one dial is shown to be arranged at an oblique angle; but, if desired, both dials may be oblique,

as illustrated in Fig. 6. Referring to Fig. (i3, the dials (/7 and y are both oblique and the shaft e' and its support are provided in duplicate at both extremities of the shaft f. ln the form shown in Fig. 6 the manner of operation is the same as in form above described.

It is not essential that the connection between shafts f/ and vf be a I'Ioolies joint or gimbal, for a flexible shaft 7'; may be substituted in the manner shown in Fig. 7. It is possible also to transmit motion from shaft f to shaft ffl by means of bevel-gears m, as shown in Fig. 8.

I do not desire to be limited to the form of rack shown in Fig. 3, as a straight rack d may be employed, as shown in Fig. 5. IVhen a straight rack is employed, it may be pivoted to scale-beam I) and be held in mesh with gear-wheel f by means of the light tensionspring e2, one end of which is attached to said rack and the other to the scale-beam itself.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a weighing-scale, the combination with the scale-beam and beam-support, of a plurality of circular dials the planes whereof are arranged obliquely with reference to each other; pointers adjacent to said dials and rotating in planes parallel thereto; and shafts at right angles to said pointers for operating the same; said shafts being operated by said scalebeam.

2. In a weighing-scale, the combination with the scale-beam and beam-support, of a plurality of reading-pointers moving in planes oblique to each other and shafts at right angles to each of said pointers for operating the same, said shafts being connected so as to rotate equal amounts and being operated by the scale-beam.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH E. COCHRAN IVitnesses:

LYsANDnR HILL, JENNIE l. MoDoNALD. 

